A good movie with a blend of light humor, great chemistry, and an enjoyable storyline. Matthew McConaughey [Benjamin Barry] and Kate Hudson [Andie Anderson] have great comedy timing and light up the screen together.

STORYLINE

Andie Anderson works for Composure Magazine, and is constantly writing “how to” articles on how to lose weight, get a makeover, and change you life. One of her close friends at the magazine has just broken up with her boyfriend – and during a magazine staff meeting, while sharing how she starting calling him all the time (sure way to drive a guy away), Andie’s boss gets the idea for a new article on “how to lose a guy in 10 days”. The article would involve Andie finding some poor schmuck and over the course of 10 days she’ll do all the mistakes that girls do to drive away guys – and get him to dump her within 10 days.

On the other side of town, sports ad executive Barry wants to do more than pitch beer and sports – he wants to do serious advertising, and has his eyes set on the new Diamond Consortium advertising contract that his boss is trying to land. His boss isn’t ready to let him make the pitch, because everyone thinks a guy doesn’t know what women want and diamonds are sold to women. Barry counters with his boasting that he knows exactly what women want, and can get them to go for anything. His boss takes him up on the boast and Barry finds himself having to get a girl to fall in love with him and bring her to the upcoming client party in 10 days.

With some manipulation by two sinister girls from Barry’s office who know about Andie’s upcoming article, Barry and Andie wind up targeting each other. So, while she’s trying to lose him, he’s doing whatever it takes to keep her!

OK – IT’S NOT BILL SHAKESPEaRe

Good movies/stories often build on things that happen to everyone – that way everyone can relate to the story. Well, this one must be a classic, because everyone has experienced at least one or two of Andie’s rule breakers – calling the guy 20 times everyday, making over his place with her “stuff”, disrupting his time with the boys, jealous fits, sending him for errands when he wants to do something else… And every guy can relate to trying hard to put up with some girl in hopes that it will work out – and then “I’ve had enough!” [As Monty Python used to say – “Run away, run away!”]

Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) is the new American Sweetheart, and should springboard on a solid performance that shows her bloodlines for comedy. McConaughey is again solid as the “hunk” who isn’t too deep, but he’s really a nice guy underneath.

The extras on the DVD are good with Cast & Crew Interviews, 5 Deleted Scenes with Director’s Commentary, featurette – Mapping Out the Perfect Location, Music Video – “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban.

SUMMARY

This is a great movie for a date that you want to keep (see review on The Hours for the date you want to dump). It isn’t a chick-flick, and it has enough laughs and wit to keep you both entertained for the duration of the movie. OK – it’s not a cliffhanger, and not a Hitchcock flick, and nobody gets blown up… but for two hours you’ll enjoy the movie and feel good afterward.

Greg Gibson

Greg Gibson’s resume spans over 40 years in the world of nuclear engineering and technology, having received a Masters Degree in e-commerce in 1998. Our resident MMORPG expert, Greg’s ability to understand the dynamics of MMOs is unparalleled.